


Day One

by noifsandsorbees



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Angst, F/M, office fic, season 10
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-18
Updated: 2016-03-18
Packaged: 2018-05-27 10:46:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6281530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noifsandsorbees/pseuds/noifsandsorbees
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Scully's first day back at the FBI, where she learns nothing ever changes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Day One

She starts on a Wednesday, needing two days more than him to put her life on hold and dive inexplicably into her past. _I’ll see you at 8 a.m. sharp_ , he’d told her on the phone the night before, and she’d scoffed at his presumption of authority, but as she steps into the basement and sees her name clearly missing from the door, she has to remember how to swallow her pride.

He’s not there, of course, and hours tick by without her phone ringing or another set of footsteps passing by their door — _his door_ , she reminds herself. She sits and waits in the visitor’s chair out of reborn habit, fingers through the few files piling on his desk, makes one unsuccessful attempt at tossing a pencil at the ceiling and tries to think of anything other than why it’s so impossible for her to ever say no to him.

It’s 2 p.m. when he finally strolls in, casual and confident, with an apathy for her time she’d prayed he’d moved past years ago, She should have known better, should have trusted half a lifetime of experience over endless hope. He tosses a paper bag on the table, and as he opens it the room is clouded in sweetness.

“I promised you breakfast,” he grins and finally catches the frustration on her face. “Don’t worry, I remembered” he says through a bite of doughnut, crumbs falling onto the desk and pride dancing in his eyes. “Gluten free, _Doctor_ Scully.” He tosses the bag at her and she catches it, forcing herself to take a deep breath as sugar splotches her new navy suit.

“You lied to me,” she says, voice clipped, resignation and exhaustion already topping off her anger.

He stops and stares at her, mind racing through the minute he’d been in the room. “I swear they are. They’re from that place you love on M Street —” he starts, but she cuts him off.

“You promised me it would be different this time. Why did I ever believe that?”

“Scully,” he starts again, nearly stutters.

“Where were you this morning?” She asks calmly, staring him in the eyes until he finally slides into his seat and leans back, hand combing through his hair.

“Skinner called me up early, asked me to check out a murder scene near Charlottesville.”

She buries her face in her hand, rubbing her eyes. “It’s day one Mulder, and you’re already ditching me.”

She shakes her head and stands, walking toward the back of the room, “I don’t know what I’m doing here,” she mutters to herself, just loud enough for him to hear. “This is already a mistake.”

“Scully,” he tries again.

“Do you realize what I had to give up this time, Mulder?” She snaps. “It’s not just a reputation, but a real job out there, patients relying on me. If I’m going to be here you can’t pull the same bullshit.”

He doesn’t respond, knowing anything he’d say would be an empty promise.

She sits down and reaches out for the newest folder, burying the exhaustion that comes with remembering he’ll always be this stubborn. Fifteen years of sleeping by his side and twenty of fighting for their lives together, but somehow it’s never enough.

Wednesdays are her nights shifts, she thinks. She could walk out the door without a word, slip into her scrubs and back into sanity. In theory, it’s just that simple. But the fact that she’s there now is proof enough that she never did learn how to leave him.

“Just,” she stops to collect herself, “just tell me what it was.”

**Author's Note:**

> [tofutti-rice-dreamsicle](tofutti-rice-dreamsicle.tumblr.com) is the best beta out there.


End file.
